Baseball game



3 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VE N TOR Aug. 18, 1931. R. E. BATES 1,319,219

BASEBALL GAME Filed Feb. 6. 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I l I858 55 619 67 IN VENTOR BATES BASEBALL GAME Filed Feb. 6. 1929 3 Sheet -g 3 -V////VJ/////JMI NTO Patented Aug. 18, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT ori ice RALPHEMORY BATES, OF WEST MEDFOR MASSACHfiSETTS BASEBALL GAME Application fil ed Fa me, 1929. Serial No. 937,975.

constituting the playing field so arranged as to represent the so-called baseball diamond with ball pockets representing the bases, a runway or track connecting the bases, balls upon the track representing the players running the bases, a relatively large ball actuated by a billiard one as in the wellknown games of billiards and pool representing the baseball as thrown by the pitcher, cushions extending between the bases, a circular cushion located at the batters position and mechanism located under the board for functioning as hereinafter described.

The prime object of my invention is to provide a new and improved game of skill and chance as are involved in both of the games of baseball and billiards, the pitched baseball being represented by a cue ball 0perated as in billiards from the pitchers box as in baseball, the ball being directed toward a cushion placed in the usual location of the batters position, the cushion replacing the batter. The players representing those opposing the players in the field run the circuit of bases, starting each time the ball is delivered,'and are represented by smaller balls travelling upon a track. A pocket is provided at each base for receiving the delivered ball to put the running player out. a In the accompanying drawings which illustrate an application of my invention,

Figure 1 is a plan view, I

Figure 2 a sectional view,- taken at Figure 1, but omitting the controlling mechanism for the sake of clarity,

Figure 3 a view of the underside of the Figure 4 a sectional view taken at Y-Y, Figure 3, V

Figure 5 a perspective view of the latching and releasing mechanism,

Figure 6 a sectional view showing the ball controlling at the bases taken at ZZ,

Figure 1,

Figure 7 a perspective view of the tripping spider,

Figure 8 a perspective view of the setting mechanism, and

Figure 9 a perspective view of the retaining rod guide and releasing lever bearing.

Continued reference to the drawings shows a board or body 1. A rim or border 2 projects above *andbelow the board and extends along its four sides. The enclosed space is arranged to represent a baseball field having pockets indicating the bases, 3 being the home base, 1 first base, 5 second base, 6 third base, 7' pitchers box and 8 batters position; all of which are characteristic of the game of baseball. Now, the characteristics of the game of billiards are evidentin the apparatus where 9, 10, 11 and 12 are elastic cushions, secured in supports 13, againstwhich a cue ball, located and starting from,- 7, strikes, rebounding to either of the pockets 3, 4, 5 or 6. There is an additional cushion 14, the function of which is to simulate the rebound of the deliveredball from the batsmans bat.

Between the .rim2 and supports 13 is a track or ball runway 15, secured upon an inclined plane having its greatest altitude 15,-at the location of the home base pocket 3 and continually decreasing in height to first, second, third and home base, where it is lowest, thus allowing a ball placed upon it to roll by gravity entirely around the v field if not intercepted; Now, to further simulate the gameof baseball means must be provided for stopping a base runner at a base as in case the delivered ball should arrive there before the runner,'to put him out. Furthermore the runner must be allowed to start for-the next base at the time of the next delivery of the ball fromthe pitchers box.. Means to accomplish this will now be described.

the home base, These pins are adapted to rise and fall through holes in the board 1 and trackbedand when intheir upper part of guides 71.

position interfere with the movement of a ball, as shown in Figure 6 and in their lower position allow the ball to roll down the incline of the track. The pins are connected at their lower ends to bellcranks 21, 22, 23 and 24 mounted upon bearings 25, 26, 27 and 28. All four bellcranks are connected to the centrally located four arm spider 29, which is mounted upon the pin 30, by rods 31, 32, 33, 34 and 35. Interposed between rods 33 and 34 is a lever 36, pivoted at 37 and having pin 38 located near the connections of rods 33 and 34. It is thus evident that all stop pins will move in unison. 39 is a lever, pivoted at 40, having at its other end a latch 41, pivoted at 42 and having a notch 42 adapted to receive pin 38. A helical spring 43, connecting lever 39 and latch 41, causes the latch to press lightly against pin 38 on lever 36. 44 and 45 are bearings upon which is mounted a shaft 46 and lever 47 which projects into hole 48 in the board 1 and upon its end is mounted a circular plate 49. An upright flat lug 50 is secured to shaft 46. Pivoted to lever 39 is a rod 51, guided vertically in slot. 52 of bearing 45 and adapted to have its end 53 drop in front of lug 50. A rod 54, has one end pivoted to lever 39 and its other end to bellcrank 55 which is pivotally supported upon bearing 56. Resting upon the other end of the bellcrank is a rod 57, having a pushplate 58 at its upper end.

Rod 57 projects through the board 1 thus positioning the plate above the board and top of the cushions and their supports. A helical spring 59, connects lever 39 and bearing 44. The foregoing describes the pin mechanism. The pin tripping mechanism will now be described.

Under each base pocket is a plate 60, 61, 62 and 63 which has hangers or supports 64 through which are journaled shaft frames 65 and 66, the upper frame/65 terminating in bearing 67 and the lower one passing through the bearings and having a bellcrank 68 and counterweight 69.

Connected to this bellcrank are rods 70 and 70 having their other ends resting in A spider 72, pivoted upon pin 30, is shown having four arms, three of which 73, have upwardly projecting lugs 7 3, against which the ends of rod 70 can operate to rotate the spider. The other arm 74, is connected by rod 75, to the crank 76, pivoted at 76. This crank has a lug 77, which functions with rod 7 0 similar to the lugs upon the spider 72. Also upon this bellcrank is a pin 78 and a helical spring 79, connected to lever 36, and adapted to press the bellcrank against the stop 80.

In playing the game the field player places the cue ball upon the plate 49 at the pitch- .ers box 7, and presses the pushplate 58, until .if intercepted at a base he is out.

the end 53, of rod 51, drops over the lug 50; such position being shown in Figure 4 but resting upon the lug in Figure 5. This action causes the notch 42 of latch 41 to drop over the pin 38. The lug 50, by reason of the weight of the cue ball, prevents the spring 59 from reversing this action. All of the base stop pins at this time being up will retain balls if placed against them, as in Figure 6. The batting player, who has four balls at his disposal, places a ball at the highest position on the track at the home base, as shown at 85 back of the pin 16. The field player, with his cue, shoots the cue ball 85 toward the cushion 14 so as to rebound toward pocket 4 (or first base) in an endeavor to put the runner out, the runner having been released from pin 16, for when the cue ball leaves the plate 49 spring 59 causes lever 39, through;

latch 41 and pin 38 to operate the base pin mechanism causing all pins to drop. Should the cue ball drop into the pocket all pins will automatically rise to their upper positions as the following will show.

Assuming the cue ball 85, to have succeeded in dropping into the pocket 4 before the ball 85 arrives there the plate 61 will be depressed and through its bellcrank 68' cause rod 70 to strike lug 73 which' will rotate spider 72 and in so doing cause rod 7 5'to operate bellcrank 76 whereby pin 78 will trip and release latch 41. This allows spring 79 to draw lever 36 back to its stop 86 reversing the movement of the track pin, (including the other four pins), which rises to its upper position again thus putting the runner out by preventing its further movement. This tripping action can be controlled from any of the four bases as shown by the connections. Should the delivered ball arrive at the base later than the running ball the base pin will rise but the running ball will have passed the pin and continue on to the second base and remain there as all pins are now up. If the pitcher (operator ofcue ball) desires, and in case the cue ball did not enter any pocket, he may shoot again from any position the ball may be on the board, to the second base pocket to put the runner out. Any runner arriving at the home base counts one run; If the cue ball enters any of the base pocket-s other that the one 'to which the runner is approaching the base pins will rise and hold the runner safe on his base. The cue ball may fail to enter a base pocket but may roll into either pocket 81 or 84 which would be counted a home run for any ball or balls running the bases. But should it roll into either pocket 82 or 83 it would be counted as a caught fly and the runner for first base counted out. The rules of baseball may be followed very closely in this game. The

cue ball may strike and rebound from the side cushions before entering a pocket; for instance, a case may arise where a shot from the pitchers box to the home base behind the cushion 14 is desired in which event the cue ball would be directed toward either cushion 9 or 12 just missing cushion 14, at the same time twisting the ball to the right or left as required, which in billiard parlance is putting English on it. It has been demonstrated by actual practice that this twisting plays an important part in the successful playing of this game.

From the foregoing it is evident that the game embodies the characteristics of baseball and billiards with the elements of chance and skill of both.

I claim:

1. In a game apparatus of the character described comprising a playing field, a gravity raceway, a pitchers position, base positions in the track, a movable stop at each base position, a pocket adjacent each base position, a cushion positioned within the field, means for initially actuating said stops from the pitchers position by the action of the object ball vacating such position and means for. subsequently actuating the stops after the object ball has traversed the field and reached any one of said pockets.

2. In a game apparatus having a playing field, an inclined, rectangular track there'- on, balls for traversing the track andan object ball, the combination therewith of ball cushions paralleling said track, a ball pocket located at each corner of the track, stops located in said track near each corner, an object ball cushion located within the field, mechanism for controlling said stops, a pitchers position consisting of a ball supporting plate the same being adapted to operate said stops when relieved of the weight of the object ball and also means at the corner pockets for controlling said stops.

3. In a game apparatus of the character described comprising a raceway having terminals in different horizontal planes, a movable stop at each terminal, raceway traversing balls and an object ball and in combination therewith a cue, a ball pocket located adjacent to each of said terminals and a level playing field within the bounds of the raceway whereby the object ball may be played about the field and toward any of the pockets and means within the pockets to operate the stops.

RALPH EMORY BATES. 

